Bradford resident Manav Karwal is a local esthetician with her own home based business, Kaya Aesthetics & Med Spa. Not only does she offer typical spa services like facials and waxing, but now includes paramedical makeup such as areola tattooing and skin camouflaging.
“I started off with very basic aesthetics, now I do everything but nails and hair,” she said.
Karwal has always enjoyed working in the beauty field for the purpose of making people feel confident and good about themselves. She understands undergoing medical treatments like chemotherapy or suffering from diseases that alter your appearance can bring down self esteem, which is why she has recently added her ‘Pay with a Smile’ program, offering one free service a month to someone going through a tough time, medically or emotionally.
To be considered, potential clients write in expressing their interest for a complimentary service and how they would benefit from it.
“Pay with a smile is for anyone that’s going through any chemotherapy, or any kind of hair loss,” explained Karwal. She said it is also open to anyone looking to achieve aesthetic services to cover up things like burns, scars or white patches from alopecia or vitiligo.
“I am giving them a reason to smile,” she said of the new program. This is her way, she says, of giving back.
Potential clients would be able to choose from any service, which ranges from microbladed or powdered eyebrows, areola tattooing or permanent makeup.
Areola tattooing would benefit anyone who has been through a mastectomy or lumpectomy, who want to recreate the look of their nipple without undergoing surgery.
Microblading and powder eyebrows are also a form of tattooing, which would also be ideal for anyone dealing with any type of hair loss. Karwal will sit down with each client and pick the perfect eyebrow shape, with results lasting up to three years.
“This is effortless. Wake up in the morning and you go,” she described of the eyebrow treatment.
Karwal is professionally trained, and prides herself on her hardwork and continuous learning. She stands by her work, and is committed to providing the best service possible to her clients.
While microblading has been trending for a few years now, she says powder brows are becoming the preferred choice when it comes to eyebrow tattooing services. Eyebrows have become her niche.
“It’s amazing the transformations that I’ve seen recently with my clients, especially the older women,” she said.
“Eyebrows speak louder than words.”
By blending her techniques, she is able to achieve customized results for her clients.
“Now that I’m trained in so many different techniques, it’s so much better because I am able to customize the treatment,” she said.
Since starting her home-based business nearly 10 years ago, she has developed a solid base of clientele, mostly from client referrals. She even has clients coming from as far as Manitoulin Island and Niagara Falls.
Karwal has always had a knack for art and design. At 14, she was known in her family for doing the best henna tattoos.
“I was always interested in art, it’s something that fascinates me,” she said.
“This is my passion and I haven't looked back on it.”
Since moving to Bradford nearly 10 years ago, she says she has been able to establish a name for herself, sharing her passion of beauty and art with the rest of the community. She says she sees about five to 10 new clients a week.
“I want to bring new things to Bradford, it’s a small community, and an amazing community with so much room to grow,” she said.
Her favourite part of what she does is how it makes people feel. She recalled recently one of her client’s husbands calling her and letting her know how thankful he was for making his wife feel beautiful.
“And that is rewarding. For me it’s all about personal connection and experience that you give a person to cherish,” she explained.
To learn more about Kaya Aesthetics & Med Spa, check out their Facebook page here.
